SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - The city's revitalization plan for 52nd Street, which includes new colourful sidewalks, landscaping, benches and light stands, were unveiled to the public Wednesday at City Hall.

The city unveiled its revitalization plans for 52nd Street from Franklin Avenue to 49th Avenue Wednesday. Included will be new sidewalks, landscaping, benches and light stands. - Nicole Veerman/NNSL photo

This will be the third streetscaping initiative the city has undertaken in Yellowknife's downtown, after 49th and 50th Streets.

City Councillor Bob Brooks attended the open house to view the plans and hear from the planners.

"I was quite pleased with the end result," he said after taking a thorough look at an engineers sketch on the wall.

"I'll be quite happy if the whole of the downtown gets that kind of look. It will not only clean up the look of the downtown, it will certainly make it more attractive and it will certainly make it more people friendly."

Peter Spearey, a consultant with Eidos – the same company that worked on 50th Street – said the plan is for 52nd Street, from Franklin Avenue to 49th Avenue, to resemble 50th Street, which was revitalized in 2009.

Spearey said because 52nd Street is more residential than 50th, it can't be redone in the exact same way.

"The streetscape takes into account that it's more of a park setting with homes and a church and it's a different type of character than 50th Street," he said.

"Right now what we're proposing is additional landscaping, a little bit more open space, more plaza space, a bit more site furnishing, coloured concrete – more decorative features."

The city has chosen 52nd Street for revitalization because of the construction of the Gallery Building on the corner of the street and Franklin Avenue.

Spearey said it's the perfect time for the project because the developers of the new building have to install sidewalks anyways, so this way the whole street will be new, rather than just a small segment.

It also allows for cost sharing on the project, which is set for completion in 2011.

In the draft 2011 budget, the city has allotted $450,000 for streetscaping initiatives on 52nd Street and Old Airport Road.

Spearey said the project isn't just about making the city look good.

"We want to encourage downtown redevelopment and reinvestment, so this is one way to do it. It's going to look better, but it's also going to function better."

We welcome your opinions. Click here to e-mail a letter to the editor.